Bayou Cane voters face two tax proposals

Published: Tuesday, August 21, 2012 at 8:03 a.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, August 21, 2012 at 8:03 a.m.

The Bayou Cane Fire Board voted Monday to keep a second tax proposal for property owners on the ballot, even though board members said they had considered withdrawing it.

“We did agree to withdraw it” before the meeting, but that was before Interim Fire Chief Kenny Hill gave board members information about “timelines and when millages are collected,” board member Suzanne Carlos said. “Looking at that, we can’t wait.”

Two tax-related proposals will appear on the Nov. 6 ballot, as planned. The first asks voters to renew an existing 10-year, 20-mill tax. The second, if approved, would give officials the option of levying up to 10 additional mills. Each mill costs taxpayers about $1 for every $1,000 worth of property.

If the measures pass, the government will begin collecting the new tax revenue in 2014, and the fire district will get the money in 2015 — “when we’re really in a budgetary crisis,” Carlos said.

Board Chairman Jeff Teuton, who has opposed a second tax since the board unsuccessfully sought it four years ago, said members were “making a mistake.”

Teuton did not vote. Board members Suzanne Carlos, Leslie Jones and Joe Malbrough voted to keep the proposal on the ballot. Kenneth “Doc” Wright was absent.

Teuton has said increasing the taxes places an unnecessary burden on Bayou Cane taxpayers.

Jones said she would prefer if taxpayers decided that themselves.

“The people should decide if they want it or not. ... We shouldn’t make the decision for everyone else in the community,” she said.

Hill said the extra revenue is necessary because a federal grant awarded to the department in 2008 has paid for new equipment and the salaries of 14 new employees. The money came at a time when the district had transitioned from mostly volunteer firefighters to mostly paid firefighters.

“That has allowed us to continue to operate without going to the voters earlier than now,” Hill said.

Teuton has said he is worried that voters, annoyed that the rejected proposal is on a ballot again, will choose not to renew the district’s current tax.

<p>The Bayou Cane Fire Board voted Monday to keep a second tax proposal for property owners on the ballot, even though board members said they had considered withdrawing it.</p><p>“We did agree to withdraw it” before the meeting, but that was before Interim Fire Chief Kenny Hill gave board members information about “timelines and when millages are collected,” board member Suzanne Carlos said. “Looking at that, we can't wait.”</p><p>Two tax-related proposals will appear on the Nov. 6 ballot, as planned. The first asks voters to renew an existing 10-year, 20-mill tax. The second, if approved, would give officials the option of levying up to 10 additional mills. Each mill costs taxpayers about $1 for every $1,000 worth of property.</p><p>If the measures pass, the government will begin collecting the new tax revenue in 2014, and the fire district will get the money in 2015 — “when we're really in a budgetary crisis,” Carlos said.</p><p>Board Chairman Jeff Teuton, who has opposed a second tax since the board unsuccessfully sought it four years ago, said members were “making a mistake.”</p><p>Teuton did not vote. Board members Suzanne Carlos, Leslie Jones and Joe Malbrough voted to keep the proposal on the ballot. Kenneth “Doc” Wright was absent.</p><p>Teuton has said increasing the taxes places an unnecessary burden on Bayou Cane taxpayers.</p><p>Jones said she would prefer if taxpayers decided that themselves.</p><p>“The people should decide if they want it or not. ... We shouldn't make the decision for everyone else in the community,” she said.</p><p>Hill said the extra revenue is necessary because a federal grant awarded to the department in 2008 has paid for new equipment and the salaries of 14 new employees. The money came at a time when the district had transitioned from mostly volunteer firefighters to mostly paid firefighters.</p><p>“That has allowed us to continue to operate without going to the voters earlier than now,” Hill said.</p><p>Teuton has said he is worried that voters, annoyed that the rejected proposal is on a ballot again, will choose not to renew the district's current tax.</p><p>“I think we've got a monumental task just keeping what we've got,” Teuton said.</p><p>Carlos said she does not think that is the case.</p><p>Teuton said he has concluded that “it just never seems like a good idea to do a renewal and an increase at the same time. ... I think it gets pushy.”</p><p>Staff Writer Katie Urbaszewski can be reached at 448-7617 or katie.urbaszewski@dailycomet.com.</p>